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1165[ksurf] Re: Help me please!!!

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Debra Smith and Paul Watson

Jan 13, 1999

Cory,

Thank you for the feed back on your efforts with reel-in quad lines. I have
a few questions regarding your experiment:
1. How did you modify your Kiteski bar? Were you using a minimally modified
straight bar? If so, where did you place the exit points for the respective
lines? (e.g. Did you have the brakes outboard of the main lines?)
3.You mentioned trimming capability. Did your set-up allow any pitch
control. I am imagining that your straight Kiteski bar (if you used it
without major modification) would not allow overall pitch variation (in any
manner that I can imagine!)
2. Did you have any/much trouble with differential wind-in? The brake lines
would be particularly sensitive to this problem, I imagine.

The reason for my interest in reel-in quadlines is that I think that this
system can potentially offer benefits for some kinds of kite which can
dramatically improve their relaunch capability. It sounds like your kite is
well optimised for dual line flight (simplicity is always a virtue, I
agree!) and the addition of brake lines would have all of the benefits of a
third wheel (I am a motorcyclist!). The sort of kite that such a system
would improve is the hybrid style of kite (such as the C-Quad) invented by
Peter Lynn and optimised for quad flight. The "Smartbar" that Lynn offers
allows the significant separation of pitch from roll/yaw bar movement (it is
not a straight bar). This allows reverse relaunching, inflight "depowering"
and useful pitch control (not to mention rapid turning). To my mind, the
addition of a practical winch system to such a bar would complete the
picture for this kind of kite.

Smooth Winds,

Paul Watson

Cory's Original Message:

>Paul,
>
>I've been flying my modified Kiteski control bar as a 4 liner, this winter,
>but I don't see the big advantage for 4 line kites for the water
>application. It seems any benefit from improved maneuverability or

trimming

>is negated by the complexity and added drag of the extra lines.
>
>Cory